WALMART CEO: Our Wages Are Competitive For The Retail Industry http://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-ceo-comments-on-wages-2012-12/comments
en-usWed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500Tue, 03 Mar 2015 15:18:30 -0500Ashley Lutzhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50df408869bedda458000013jonvirginiaSat, 29 Dec 2012 14:12:08 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50df408869bedda458000013
So you think that entry level, no experience positions should get paid $20 an hour??? Then what would you pay people that have been on the same job for 5, 10 or 20 years?
Walmart entry level positions are NOT intended to be a career but a stepping stone to bigger and better things.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50d08f5eecad042c42000006hbuck67Tue, 18 Dec 2012 10:44:30 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50d08f5eecad042c42000006
He is lyinghttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50ca55536bb3f7e56800000acarole1965Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:23:15 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50ca55536bb3f7e56800000a
really 12something an hour for full time , i was full time for the 8 yrs i worked there and i made 8.69 an hr thats in ohio , guess they owe me some money lol, and they are brutal to work forhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c9976b6bb3f7d07900001cJim BrockThu, 13 Dec 2012 03:52:59 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c9976b6bb3f7d07900001c
The pay rate is an important issue. What this article doesn't address is the reduction in the total compensation plan that have occurred, the reduction in associate hours at stores, job classification changes to cap increases,(and the list goes on) empty shelves and using the savings to funnel money to the shareholder through huge dividend increases and repurchase of shares, which gives - at no cost - an increased control percentage to the remaining shareholders. Three months in advance of year end employees are told routine equipment repairs will not be done until next year and now being told the purchase of general store operating supplies are frozen til after year end. Is corporate managing an ongoing concern or short-term earnings per share? For the year ended this past January, the Company saved (in the U.S) $350+ MILLION by eliminating profit sharing for the employees, while increasing shareholder dividends by almost the same amount. Most understand where the majority of the dividends go. If you are going to visit stores for an extended visit in the next 45 days you might want to have at least a partial roll of toilet paper in your pocket, Yes, last year we ran out. People, this is not a four or five paragraph, quick quote issue. There has been a steady degradation of the associates total compensation package since 2006 when Susan Chambers presented her master "plan" to the Board. That plan can be found on the internet. Next time you talk, ask him how many of those promoted actually stayed with Company beyond their internship. Unfortunately, the Susan Chambers plan refers to the fact that the plan can be a model for American workers beyond Walmart. If you are not exhausted then turn and look at how executive compensation has increased since 2006. As long as the questions asked are simple ,I understand why he has no concern.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c96f50eab8ea7e7e00000dhateswalmartThu, 13 Dec 2012 01:01:52 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c96f50eab8ea7e7e00000d
i wish someone would punch that man in the face! He has no real clue or concept what goes on in these stores. Someone needs to show him how to use a pallet jack and make him unload some of these damn trucks at the pathetic dollar amount that is made. EVERYDAYhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c933a56bb3f7914500000ceganWed, 12 Dec 2012 20:47:17 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c933a56bb3f7914500000c
Fine..I'm glad he feels that way.... Lets see how long the CEO could survive on $8.81 an hour..Bet he couldn't make it 2 weeks without backing out in tears. What a putz! Walmart's attitude towards their workers and their abuse of the taxpayer support makes me not shop there. This company and their elitist owners are a blight on America and an affront to real capitalists like Henry Ford and Kaiser, both of whom understood the need to have decent working conditions and lifestyles for their employees. Walmart are just crooks.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c91b3d69bedd196a000043dwightmannsburdenWed, 12 Dec 2012 19:03:09 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c91b3d69bedd196a000043
@Darth Give them free condos and cars!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c907b36bb3f7c47500000cReneeWed, 12 Dec 2012 17:39:47 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c907b36bb3f7c47500000c
No? Then YOU try living on that wage for a year. Greedy moron!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8ed8decad04dd60000005dwightmannsburdenWed, 12 Dec 2012 15:48:13 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8ed8decad04dd60000005
Where have you been the past decade? The company offloads much off its overhead onto taxpayers. This is done by paying workers so poorly that they need to rely on food stamps, Medicaid, and housing allowances to survive.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8e7fbeab8ea9d5b000008capitalismworksWed, 12 Dec 2012 15:24:27 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8e7fbeab8ea9d5b000008
companies don't pay workers to give them a good life; they pay workers the value they are to the company in the form of workhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8dcb269bedd0155000009SalWed, 12 Dec 2012 14:36:18 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8dcb269bedd0155000009
yes, for bagging groceries, 40k is too much. You obviously have never run a business. You think that it can just be legislated that you pay people some ridiculous amount and that a business will be able to afford it. So let's say you institute a minimum 40k on all workers. (generalizing here since this is what you are getting at), what do you think would happen more: unemployment or inflation? And going from 20k-40k would not be a 'minor raise'
Also, I am not buying that "no fault" argument because everyone gets a free k-12 education and it is not hard to find affordable colleges.
"YES, I AM willing to pay more for goods if it means my fellow Americans can put food on their tables." That is your choice then. Don't shop at Walmart. Don't force everyone else to pay higher prices including these workers you covet who will also be looking for the lowest prices.
bldigrrn, I wasn't saying that. The slashes represented a union, not an intersection.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8ccdeecad043e21000010bldigrrnWed, 12 Dec 2012 13:28:46 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8ccdeecad043e21000010
"Laborers/unions/Democrats"
So all laborers are Democrats? All Democrats are in unions?
According to your logic, there are no Republicans in unions. No Republican laborers.
What is your point? Do you have one?
No, you don't. You're just parroting something you heard somewhere, and passing it along as your own.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8c66269bedd451c000004Andrew HallWed, 12 Dec 2012 13:01:06 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8c66269bedd451c000004
Yup, being a modern CEO of a company like Walmart seems to require a certain amount of cognitive dissonance, the ability to take long vacations, and the ability to put your workers on GOVERNMENT AID to defray your costs.
It reminds me of a CEO character in a webcomic analyzed by her daughter: "She never would have gotten where she is today if she thought she was responsible for her actions."http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8c5f5ecad046516000008Andrew HallWed, 12 Dec 2012 12:59:17 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8c5f5ecad046516000008
I don't need them to make $20 an hour, just pay them enough that they're not on FOOD STAMPS!!!!!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8c5d96bb3f7c179000002Andrew HallWed, 12 Dec 2012 12:58:49 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8c5d96bb3f7c179000002
I bet you don't see a problem with shoving $3.5 billion in costs onto the Federal government either as you take a $35m salary, Mr. Duke. Your workers are on food stamps and Medicaid. It's a disgrace.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8c48e6bb3f76e75000009dbsmithWed, 12 Dec 2012 12:53:18 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8c48e6bb3f76e75000009
Yeah, being a CEO is hell.
If you truly believe that paying less than a living wage while, personally, taking $18+ million is OK, well, you're not someone I care to know.
IMO no one NO ONE is worth $18+ million per year.
I say this having been fortunate to be paid $1 million+ more than once. I know something about being paid beyond all reason for my work. HINT: it doesn't have much/anything to do with 'skill set'.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8c0e8ecad048a0d000004oquitiesWed, 12 Dec 2012 12:37:44 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8c0e8ecad048a0d000004
not every job is able to provide enough to provision a family, nor is a company obligated to fund such jobs. note how many unionized companies go chapter 11 (autos, airlines, etc). and as to your "unlucky birth" working poor, it's never too late to get that education. and just because it's not your fault doesn't mean you are somebody else's responsibility.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8bffe6bb3f7716c000009dwightmannsburdenWed, 12 Dec 2012 12:33:50 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8bffe6bb3f7716c000009
Wal-mart is a parasitical company leeching off the tax-payer. We need to put a stop to these corporate welfare queens.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8bd39ecad04d506000001CORPORATE WELFAREWed, 12 Dec 2012 12:22:01 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8bd39ecad04d506000001
I don't care if Walmarts margin is 3.5%, they made $15.7B in profit and yet tax payers like you and me are paying to feed their workers because they are paid so little that they have to seek government assistance. And the 80% figure came from a study that look at every state figures in terms of assistance given to individuals and what companies they worked for and time and again Walmart led that list nationwide.
<a href="http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/corporate-subsidy-watch/hidden-taxpayer-costs" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/corporate-subsidy-watch/hidden-taxpayer-costs</a>
How isn't that corporate welfare, why are companies being called out for paying shitty wages, especially if it lead to more government spending in terms of assisting people. It doesn't amount to pennies either.
Do I feel think that a cashier should be paid $20 and hour?Hell no. I'm all for personal responsibility and most of the time you can essentially say that the individual should have applied themselves a bit more and perhaps they would have ended up as a cashier. That's another conversation to have.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8bbb1ecad047002000001jeffriesWed, 12 Dec 2012 12:15:29 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8bbb1ecad047002000001
Mike Duke believes his yearly work contibutions (earning him $18.7 m/yr) are so great that his average employee (making $8.81 hr) would have to work in excess of 2 million hours or 53,065 fulltime weeks or 1020 years to contribute the relative value he adds in just one year. No wait- hardly anyone gets fulltime because he just can't afford that. PLEASE when will CEOs realize the absurdity of what they are doing? When will those at the top understand they are killing demand- the gas that drives the economy. I concede that they have the means and know how in building the car (the economy) but the car is of no use without gas. DEMAND IS DYING AND THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR ECONOMY. WORKERS NEED MORE MONEY!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8b801eab8ea186f00000eDiana 204Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:59:45 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8b801eab8ea186f00000e
Really, $40K a year is too much? Looked at the cost of housing, food, insurances lately? So, you are advocating that the 'working poor' (who may not have had access to as good an education as you did, and were just unlucky to be born who they are and where they are = no fault of their own) are demanding way too much by getting a minor raise in income to keep up with inflation? I think High Paid laborers/GOPS are sooooo out of touch with what makes a good peaceful society healthy that it's very very sad indeed for ALL of our futures. And YES, I AM willing to pay more for goods if it means my fellow Americans can put food on their tables. Enough with the CHEAP crap and CHEAP pricing. I see deflationary pricing in my business field, and it SUCKS big time.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8b7fd69beddad78000004Arshile GorkyWed, 12 Dec 2012 11:59:41 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8b7fd69beddad78000004
So another one percenter doesn't see a problem eh?
Looks like he's suffering from the same illness that Marie Antoinette had. Mr. CEO should get himself to an optometrist fast. Marie's eye problem turned out to be fatal.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8b33eeab8ea6b6100002fBodine WebWed, 12 Dec 2012 11:39:26 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8b33eeab8ea6b6100002f
Would you consider all this government assistance to be anti-union? After all if workers can feed their families, even if it's by SNAP benefits, then they are much less likely to strike.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8b13e69beddab66000009SalWed, 12 Dec 2012 11:30:54 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8b13e69beddab66000009
I think low paid laborers/unions/Democrats think that these people should be making $40,000 a year. That is what the problem is.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8b03069bedd2b5e00000cSterlingWed, 12 Dec 2012 11:26:24 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8b03069bedd2b5e00000c
To be fair, they did not see a problem with a monopoly, driving independent mom and pop stores out of business, or suing cities that did not want them there, or being the biggest importer of made in China products destroying America's manufacturing base, or the fact that their products are made by little girls being paid slave wages. But just like they spun those things 180', they will spin low wages to make Americans happy to be poor, that way they can only shop at WalMart using their government subsidies. It's a good time to be a criminal in America folks.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8aff06bb3f73e50000011dbsmithWed, 12 Dec 2012 11:25:20 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8aff06bb3f73e50000011
I'm not a fan of Henry's polemics about 'reasonable profits' and 'fair wages'.
However:
It's quite jarring to read $8.81/hour and $18.7 million per year in the same article.
Mr. Duke is obviously not particularly introspective...http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8aea4eab8ea645400002bfffffWed, 12 Dec 2012 11:19:48 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8aea4eab8ea645400002b
I would argue the opposite....if you put it that way, then the government is merely subsidizing unskilled workers, much better than someone collecting unemployment and food stamps....
in the case of minimum wage at walmart, there are opportunities to advance to managerial roles and that should be enough motivation..
i have compassion for those making minimum wage, but does raising the minimum wage really accomplish anything? it subsidizes bad government/families/schools....there is a bigger reason to why adults are making such low wages than just that its the CEO's fault.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8ae80eab8eab259000004CORPORATE WELFAREWed, 12 Dec 2012 11:19:12 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8ae80eab8eab259000004
When you are the 3rd most profitable company in the world and yet the wages you pay your workers are so low that 80% of them use government assistance, that is corporate welfare. Simple as that.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8ac326bb3f77e4700000fMy WagWed, 12 Dec 2012 11:09:22 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8ac326bb3f77e4700000f
A CEO stoops low enough to care about wages? Who'd a thunk it?http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8ab7c6bb3f74545000003Well.....Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:06:20 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8ab7c6bb3f74545000003
When you pay your people so poorly that many of them have to go on food stamps to feed their families then you are not paying them anywhere near enough. Walmart sucks. I RARELY go in one simply because of the way they treat their employees.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8a9eaeab8ea554f000013this will be goodWed, 12 Dec 2012 10:59:38 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c8a9eaeab8ea554f000013
looking forward to hearing all the reasons why cashiers should make $20/hr.